During meditation practices, we learn how to observe and calm our disturbing thoughts and feelings. Discover with Richard Schwartz, the founder of the Internal Family Systems model, how to take the next step from paying attention to these distressed parts to healing them.

After this session, please take a few minutes to take a look at the Comment Board and let us know what you think. Do you have any experience with the Internal Family Systems model? If not, would you consider bringing these techniques into the consulting room? Do you have any questions for the presenter or your colleagues? We invite you to share your reflections and including your name and hometown with your comments. If you have any technical questions, please feel free to contact support@psychotherapynetworker.org. Thanks for your participation.

I actually joined this 6-week webinar because of Richard Schwartz--after hearing him at a Networker conference a few years ago. I came away from tonights session similarly excited and deeply affirmed. Really appreciate his clarity about teaching the client how to be the primary attachment figure for the parts of the self, as well as how that process makes for a healthier marriage.
Jan Snedigar, Budoia , Italy

Thank you Rich for making this available and being open to participating openly! Also thank you Dick for taking this time. Very informative about IFS and affirming to the therapist who continues to navigate the internal systems. Peace to both. Beegee Labbe Akron, Ohio

Brought me to a clearer understanding of the relationship between mindfullness and the various therapies. Will be useful in my work (primarily crisis walk-ins in a public clinic) with clients who are very stuck in axis 2 behaviors and" looking in all the wrong places."

Such an excellent lecture series! I got a lot out of Dr. Schwartz's presentation - it makes so much sense, and provides a way to use mindfulness to stablize the big s Self - a deep association with this Self (rather than a dissociation from thoughts and emotions, as Michael Yapko suggested). This seems to be possible when the client is not too far from the Self. However, what about when a client is taken over by a complex or part? The Self is very hard to find, and may in fact seem submerged by the part. Do you have any tips for working with such states? I will check out your website.

Thank you so much! This has been a very calming session, harmony provoking! I am very interested in pursuing this, finding out more about this model and wanting to practice it both for myself and clients. Also, thanks to you Rich for being generous and courageous in allowing Dr. Schwartz to show us how it works. I've appreciated this greatly!!

Thank you for this insightful lecture, Dr. Schwartz. I don't know if you're aware of the work by Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel. His body of work is called, "Big Mind Big Heart." He incorporates Zen mindfulness with the Voice Dialogue work of Hal and Sidra Stone. Your version is a bit simpler, which I like, but they are very similar approaches. Unfortunately, while Genpo was an inspired teacher and master therapist, his shadow side appeared to get overwhelmed by all the fame he encountered. Nonetheless, this approach to the Self, and our parts is very helpful and I thank you for sharing it. I plan to go back to using it again. I got a bit discouraged by Genpo's fall from the pedestal, where I mistakenly had placed him.